Geocaching

• Andy McCracken and Terese Sonnak
• Andy is a geocaching specialist, Terese is a public librarian
• use a gsp to find stashes of stuff
• geocaching.com
• basically: someone hides something, marks it with a gps, then registers the cache on a Web site...people can look up caches close to where they live / where they will be, and go find it
• gpses are not always super accurate, so challenge to find caches
• geocaching peeps call non-geocacheres muggles!
• traditional caches are stored in a container, with a log book
• containers can be micro, small, regular or large
• multi caches: in stages, like a treasure hunt...first cache is a clue to the next one
• puzzle caches: go to the cache's web page to solve a puzzle
• event caches: special events
  
• virtual caches: can't hide something, no container, but need to bring back some evidence (eg name of sculptor of a statue), and email that back
• earth caches: eg Goosebery Falls...usually related to geology
• what you can find in a cache: log book, pencil, swag, coins, travel bugs
• swag = Stuff We All Get!!! (who knew?!)
• kids like to trade swag in and out (evenly)
• interesting way to explore an area
• "dnf" = did not find
• qr codes are starting to show up in geocahes
• after you find a cache, log it on the cache's web site (also if you did not find it)
• there's an app from geocaching.com for smartphones
• caches in libraries: generally multi-stage or puzzles
• need to put a container outside with a hint in it
• the cache could be a book "hidden" in the stacks...they used a weeded book and disguised it as "Encyclopedia of Geocaching" ...created a Dewey lesson to help people find it...nifty idea
• lots of different examples...could have clues inside the library and the cache outside
• The British Library is even doing it!
• why hide a cache in a library?: point out a new location / teach new users how to use the library / bring back users who haven't been in recently / because it's fun
• people of all ages geocache...very family-friendly...non-disruptive (cachers like to be stealthy)
• can look at geocaching.com to see logs of library caches